Sports
T20 getting to be similar to a chess game

Cricket’s T20 format was an attempt to liven up the game and make it viewer friendly. This has proven to be a success and a lifeline for the game of cricket. Every match around the world is filled with loud, active and boisterous spectators bursting with enthusiastic energy. It reminds one of the Colosseum, where gladiators fought for their life and prestige during the days of the Roman Empire.
T20 cricket evokes a very similar attachment and emotion among the crowd, however, without the actual blood-thirsty response of yore.
The early days of T20 cricket was looked upon as a slam-bang version, wherein, thoughtless cross-bat heaves and stroke-play was the norm to follow. Yuvraj Singh, hitting 6 sixes off a Stuart Broad over, in the first ever T20 World Cup was the epitome of every batter’s desire. India, winning the Cup in 2007 was just the tonic that the doctor ordered to get the Indian fans activated.
The Indian Premier league (IPL) in 2008 had sceptics who felt that cricket was being sacrificed for commercial gains and that the sport will lose its character and the values that it stands for. The gentleman’s game that revelled in artistic stroke-play, would breed swatters who would do well killing flies. A brilliant 158 runs by Brendon McCullum from New Zealand off just 73 balls for Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural match of the IPL in 2008 was an eye opener. He played correct, conventional and courageous cricket shots, that not only made one admire his innings but it also became the precursor for others to follow. It gave just the boost required not only to the T20 format but also to the most lucrative cricket league in the world, the IPL.
Chris Gayle, the powerful and strong West Indian cricket star with his lusty hits, became the superstar of the IPL and one every batter wanted to emulate. Cricket changed from being a game of a number of runs scored to strike-rates, indicating the number of balls faced to get them.
Cricket, therefore, came alive with batters ready to strike and attack. The fast pace of the game forced cricketers to get more agile, fit and thereby look like well-sculptured athletes. The cameras at all corners of the field highlighted every move they made and the slow motion replays became a luxury to enjoy. A cricket match developed into a mystery story of an uncertain ending, as well as giving rise to heroes and villains as it progressed — an entertainment for the family to partake in.
The slam-bang approach of the initial T20 theory gradually gave way to a more planned and strategy-driven concept. Players, matches and conditions were being analysed to the ultimate degree by IT professionals and teams of skilled support staff, utilising the data and findings extensively for their use.
T20 cricket has gradually changed by leaps and bounds. It has become a chess match between two teams, each making moves and thinking steps ahead. Yuzvendra Chahal, the wily leg-spinner and a reputed chess player himself, in a recent interview, stated as to how he studies the batsman to outthink him. Interestingly, the game has become a mental battle between the batter and the bowler. Each one is trying to read the other to outsmart one another.
The batsman has a hint of what the bowler has in mind by the field placement put in place. However, many bowlers have outfoxed the batsman by playing a dummy move. A batter still has an advantage with bowlers having a width restriction as well as a restriction of fielders outside the 30-yard circle. The bowlers have also innovated in a major way. The variety of deliveries that many have now skilled themselves to bowl are quite remarkable and innovative.
Cricket has never had such a transformation like what it is going through in the last decade. Innovative and unimaginable strokes by the batters and varieties of variable deliveries being churned out by bowlers, has made cricket into a very different game from that in the past.
The chess board comes so much into prominence in the present T20 world of cricket. Many pawns are sacrificed and rooks, bishops and knights moved to strategise a victory. A Queen is an all-rounder who could, through batting or bowling, change the complexion of the game. The King is the citadel that every franchise team is protecting, through planned strategies and thoughtful moves to avoid a checkmate.
Cricket finally has become a game of brain as well as brawn — one that requires a cricketer to think correctly and to implement forcefully. The T20 format has totally revolutionised cricket for years to come.
One feels Test cricket will never be the same again. The modern cricketers are products of the fast changing digital world, wherein speed is important for progress. The laggards will be left behind.
Chess too has a ‘Rapid’ version to it. T10 cricket could be the next one to follow. One wonders what new innovation will come forth then.
Sports
IPL 2025: Nick Knight backs PBKS winning formula under Iyer and Ponting

New Delhi, April 2: Former England cricketer Nick Knight believes Punjab Kings (PBKS) have found a winning formula in IPL 2025, with the leadership of captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting.
After a strong start to the IPL 2025 campaign, where Iyer’s unbeaten 97 off 42 balls powered Punjab Kings to a narrow 11-run victory over Gujarat Titans, PBKS extended their unbeaten streak with a commanding eight-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants, courtesy to Prabhsimran Singh (69) and Iyer’s ( 52 not out) fluent half-centuries.
Knight was particularly impressed with how Indian players have stepped up in the team’s two commanding victories so far.
“You look at their team line-up and think they’ve won two games quite well—this one (against LSG) certainly comprehensively. Overseas players haven’t played a major part in that. So (there are) contributions from Indian players. The captain’s like a rock. He looks so calm. He looks so authoritative. The team is playing exactly how his mentality is playing out along with the coach Ricky Ponting,” Knight said on ESPNcricinfo.
What stands out is how much of PBKS’ success has come from their Indian core. Shreyas Iyer has led from the front, but youngsters like Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, and Prabhsimran Singh have also played key roles. This bodes well for the team, especially since their overseas stars—Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Lockie Ferguson, and Azmatullah Omarzai—haven’t yet had a major impact.
“Maxwell, Stoinis, Ferguson, Omarzai, whoever it’s going to be, you know they’re going to play a major part, win a game or two and have a major contribution along the line. So you put that in the back pocket and say, ‘Well, that’s going to happen at some point. So if we’re winning games without them, we’re in a pretty good place’. That’s as much I see from that performance. That is a really confident start for them based on some of their major players yet to make a major contribution,” said Knight.
After win on Tuesday night against LSG, PBKS will look to maintain their momentum and add another victory to their tally when they face Rajasthan Royals on April 5.
Sports
IPL 2025: When and where to watch LSG vs PBKS, head-to-head record

Lucknow, April 1: Lucknow Super Giants will host the Punjab Kings at the the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Tuesday in match 13 of the 2025 Indian Premier League campaign.
Led by captain Rishabh Pant, the Super Giants will head into the game brimming with confidence after they defeated SunRisers Hyderabad by five wickets at their home ground.
Having opened their account in IPL 2025, LSG will be looking to continue the winning momentum against the Kings at home.
Punjab Kings began their IPL 2025 campaign with a 11-run win over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.
The Kings’ top order includes wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh, opener Priyansh Arya and newly appointed captain Shreyas Iyer. The likes of Azmatullah Omarzai, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh are expected to feature in their middle order. In the bowling department, Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, Yuzvendra Chahal and Vijaykumar Vyshak are their key options. Their opening game win against GT was an overall solid performance where Arya and Iyer set the foundation in the first innings and clutch death bowling by Vyshak secured the win
LSG vs PBKS head-to-head record in IPL
LSG have a superior head-to-head record against Punjab Kings in the IPL, having won three of the four matches.
The last time the two sides met, the former registered a 21-run home victory over the Kings in March 2024
Live Streaming details
Venue: The match will take place at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
When: April 1, 7:30 PM IST
Livestream: The clash between Lucknow and Punjab will be live-streamed on JioHotstar app and website
Broadcast: Star Sports Network
Squads:
Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), David Miller, Ayush Badoni, Shardul Thakur, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, RS Hangargekar, Akash Maharaj Singh, Avesh Khan, Matthew Breetzke, Aryan Juyal, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Akash Deep, Mayank Yadav, Shamar Joseph, Arshin Kulkarni
Punjab Kings: Josh Inglis(w), Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas lyer(c), Glenn Maxwell, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kuldeep Sen, Priyansh Arya, Suryansh Shedge, Harnoor Singh, Musheer Khan, Pyla Avinash
Sports
IPL 2025: KL Rahul rejoins Delhi Capitals squad ahead of SRH clash

New Delhi, March 29: India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul joined the Delhi Capitals squad in Visakhapatnam on Saturday ahead of their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2025 season on Sunday.
Rahul missed the DC’s season opener against Lucknow Super Giants last week due to the birth of his first child with actor wife Athiya Shetty. The couple welcomed a baby girl on March 24.
Taking to X, Delhi Capitals shared the video of Rahul’s arrival and wrote, “You’re loved. You’re ours. You’re home. Welcome to Dilli, KLR.”
In another post, the franchise shared a picture of Rahul in DC’s training jersey and captioned the post, “Let the games begin.”
Rahul is expected to make his Delhi debut in Visakhapatnam on Sunday against Sunrisers Hyderabad after being acquired by the franchise for Rs 14 crore in last year’s mega auction.
The Axar Patel-led side started the tournament on a winning note with a thrilling one-wicket win over Rahul’s former franchise Lucknow. Ashutosh Sharma smashed a 31-ball 66 not out to snatch victory from Lucknow’s jaw with a blistering knock studded with five sixes and as many fours.
After the match, Delhi players congratulated Rahul on becoming the new father by doing a ‘Mother’s Lap Baby Swing’ action.
On his move to Delhi, Rahul termed it both exciting and nerve-wracking for him after last year’s auction.
“This is a new experience for me – joining my fourth or fifth IPL franchise. It’s both exciting and nerve-wracking. Every new team brings uncertainties – how the players will gel, how the management operates, and how the fans will react. But looking at our squad and how the management has built this team, we seem to have most areas covered,” said Rahul.
“There’s a great mix of seasoned players and young talent. I am eager to play alongside some incredibly skilled youngsters and learn from them as well. With players like Mitchell Starc, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav -many of whom I’ve played with before – we have a solid squad. I can’t wait for the IPL to begin.”
In 132 IPL matches, Rahul has amassed 4,683 runs at an average of 45.47. He has also scored four centuries and 37 fifties in the tournament so far after making his debut in 2013.
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